Tam Lin
by ladylillianrose
Summary: Lady Margaret Hooper finds herself lost near Carterhaugh and encounters a strange young man. Based off of the original ballad "Tam Lin."
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is all Mindy's fault for asking for a song suggestion. I suggested Fairport Convention's "Tam Lin" and thus a plot bunny was born in my mind. Anyway I hope you enjoy it! I'll be posting links to various versions of the songs at the beginning of each chapter, so go listen to a wide array of versions. Also if you like the ballad I would recommend Pamela Dean's book Tam Lin, it's the story of Tam Lin set at a small college in the early 1970's. "_**O I FORBID you, maidens a',**_ _**That wear gowd on your hair,**_ _**To come or gae by Carterhaugh,**_ _**For young Tam Lin is there.**_ _**There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh**_ _**But they leave him a wad,**_ _**Either their rings, or green mantles,**_ _**Or else their maidenhead."**_ _ "__**Tam Lin"- Child 39A**_

/guFZkLxYM60 "Tam Lin"-Fairport Convention

Lady Margaret hated being trapped inside Hooper Manor, she much preferred to be out amongst the fields and meadows, learning what nature wanted to teach her. Instead of practicing her embroidery, a task she both loathed and was abysmal at, she could be found lying in the meadow or by the brook consulting her herb journal.

Before her mother had passed she taught her daughter the secrets of plants, what they could be used for, how best to use them and the hidden meanings behind them. Her father, Lord Edward, found no fault in her studies, Margaret or Molly as she was often called, had a rare gift for herbs. When she wasn't studying or gathering her materials, she was in the village, tending to the various ailments and needs of the people. Her sweet nature, soft touch and tender smile, that accompanied her remedies won the hearts of the villagers.

This particular day found Molly wandering further into the woods than usual, in search of some Wormwood. The local innkeeper Mrs. Hudson, had been complaining of a slight ache in her hip. She had hoped to find some where the woods touched the road, but had no such luck. Pulling her hood up, Molly made her way through the low hanging brambles of the forest, determined to not return empty handed.

Before long she had been turned around and was lost, the layout of the inner forest unfamiliar to her. She leaned against a Birch tree to catch her breathe and take in her surroundings. There appeared to be no clear indication of which direction to head. Sighing, she concluded that she had traipsed for long enough through the forest, that she must be at least halfway through. Continuing in the same direction, she hoped was correct in her assumption.

Finally she spotted the telltale white of the mischievous herb, breathing a sigh of relief she trimmed what was needed and placed it in the basket. Standing up and dusting her hands off she realized that this was the edge of the forest. Moving quickly towards the clearing, she paid no heed to the branches as they caught on her cloak and tangled in her hair.

Blinking at the sudden brightness as she was freed from the covering of the trees, Molly inhaled the scent of roses and a touch of smoke. In the center of the clearing there was a solitary stone well, with roses growing around it. She headed eagerly to the well, hoping the water would refresh her.

After quenching her thirst and tidying herself up, she took in the rest of her surroundings. The area was unfamiliar and empty, except for the well and the distant sound of a stream. Since it bordered the forest it was still technically her father's land, she was curious why they had left it on it's own.

Vowing to ask her father upon her return, she decided following the edge of the forest was her best hope for returning home. She gathered her basket and turned to leave pausing as the rosebush caught her cloak. As she bent to free herself an unusual flower caught her eye. It was a rose growing within a rose, one on top of the other. She had never seen any such as it in the wild, it was often emblazoned upon family coats of arms, showing the merging of two great houses. But those were merely symbolic and made of paint none of which did such a flower justice.

Using her shears she clipped the unique flower. As she raised it to her nose, she felt something grasp her wrist, and a cold voice demand, "What do you think you are doing?" Startled, she gasped and dropped the flower, as she stared into the eyes of the most beautiful man she had ever seen.


	2. Chapter 2

"_She had na pu'd a double rose,_ _A rose but only twa,_ _Till up then started young Tam Lin,_ _Says, Lady, thou's pu nae mae._ _Why pu's thou the rose, Janet,_ _And why breaks thou the wand?_ _Or why comes thou to Carterhaugh_ _Withoutten my command?"_ _ Tam Lin_ Child 39A

"Tam Lin (Child 39)"- Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer

"Generally when one is asked a question, the polite thing to do is answer," the man said.

Molly flushed and shook her head as if to dislodge cobwebs. "I beg your pardon, you startled me."

He raised his eyebrow at her but let go of her wrist, bending down to retrieve the fallen flower. "And as for what I am doing, I was collecting herbs I have need of and attempting to find my way home," Molly said reaching for the flower.

"I meant what are you doing on _my_ land, picking _my_ roses?" his tone accusatory as he held the flower out of her reach.

Molly frowned, "_Your_ land? I do believe you are quite mistaken as this land belongs to my father, Lord Edward Hooper." She placed a finger thoughtfully to her lips, "Which would in fact make them _my_ roses, that _you_ are currently withholding from me."

The young man smirked at her boldness, he bowed mockingly holding the rose towards her as though a token of affection. "You must forgive me then Lady Hooper, for clearly I have been mistaken in knowing whether the land on which I dwell is mine own or not."

Molly huffed and quickly snatched the rose, placing it in her basket with the wormwood. This strange man might be the most gorgeous creature she had ever seen, but he was severely lacking in manners. "If you'll excuse me _most kind sir_," she sarcastically simpered, "but you are impeding my journey home."

He chuckled, "As my lady wishes," and moved as if to let her pass. As she walked by she felt him reach into her basket and pluck her mother's herbalism journal from it. Outraged Molly turned on him, "You _will_ return my book to me." He ignored her, perusing through the various pages, glancing at the sketches her mother had made long ago, and the additional notations that Molly had added over the years.

"Your mother taught you your craft before she died," he said, his eyes never glancing up from the page. "She was the artist clearly, though your attempts are...admirable. You act as the town herbalist, something your father encourages because of his love of your mother. And you often are called on to work with the local midwife since you have been friends since childhood."

Despite her exasperation with the stranger, Molly was impressed with his deductions. "Wow," she breathed. He glanced up as she spoke. "That was astonishing. You got all that from my journal?"

"Well yes...you really think it's astonishing?" his voice softening as if afraid of her answer.

"Well yes, most people wouldn't have even been able to tell me that it was a book about herbs, let alone everything else you deduced." She looked questioningly at him, "I gather most people aren't usually so impressed?"

He snorted, "No. Though I didn't reveal anything embarrassing about you to a large crowd of your peers so that might have something to do with it."

Molly giggled, "No you didn't. Though you were wrong about the midwife. It's actually the local physic that I assist, though his wife and I are childhood friends."

"Physic, of course...there's always something," he muttered aloud to himself.

"Lady Margaret Hooper, though most call me Molly," Molly offered him her hand, deciding that if this strange man knew enough about her from just her mother's journal she could introduce herself properly.

He smiled widely, "Sherlock, just Sherlock. A pleasure...Molly," he brushed his lips across her hand and she shivered.

"So Sherlock, do you often annoy young women you run into, or am I just a special case?" Molly asked smirking.

He chuckled, "No not usually, though I do believe in this instance you are definitely a special case."


End file.
